Being Frugal and Making It Work

Motivation... Because I'm Worth It!

2013-05-24T08:10:00.000-07:00

Motivation... we all need it! Motivation varies from one person to another and can even vary day to day. Maybe your motivation is finally fitting in that bikini, liking what you see in the mirror, or positive reinforcement from family and friends.

"You are where you are because of who you were but where you go depends entirely on who you choose to be." ~Hal Elrod

My motivation is seeing my before pictures and where I am now...

“Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right.” ~Henry Ford

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” ~Jim Rohn

What keeps you motivated?

A Trip Back in Time: Classic Rock Hits

2013-05-23T19:28:00.000-07:00

I was born in the 70's and grew up listening to Classic Rock Hits on the radio with my parents. I even vaguely remember attending a Battle of the Bands concert in the park at a very young age.

Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR), The Beach Boys, Eagles, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Chicago and The Doors are just a few that come to mind when I think of classic rock.

The thing I love most about listening to classic rock hits are the memories it brings back. When I hear certain oldies, I remember a special time and place. Many family road trips were paired with listening to classic rock hits on the radio. Good times!

I will always have a special place in my heart for the oldies. I even had a classic station pre-set on vehicle stereo and blast it when one of my favorite come on. I also love the fact that my two children also have a love for classic rock because it reminds me of fond childhood memories I shared with my parents and siblings.

What is your favorite classic rock hit?

Brought to you by your classic rock fans. All opinions are my own.

Just a Friendly Reminder... Complete the Mandatory Giveaway Entry!

2013-05-21T10:14:00.001-07:00

Just a friendly reminder... When entering my blog giveaways the mandatory entry must be completed before other entries will count!

I've been noticing a lot of entries that have not been completed and I'm sad to say that those will not count and could potentially cause an entrant to lose their chance at winning!

Have you entered my current blog giveaways?

Purex Natural Elements Laundry Detergent - 3 Winners (5/22)
Chick-fil-A Salad Wraps Free Product Coupons (5/23)
Case of Simply7 Snacks Healthy Chips (6/5)
Gorton's Seafood Prize Pack (6/7)
TruMoo Shelf Stable Milk Free Product Coupons (6/10)
Sky High Sports Spokane Family Jump Pass (6/13)

Have you won anything lately?

Sky High Sports Spokane Indoor Trampoline Fun Center - Giveaway

2013-05-21T07:39:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for something fun and active to do with your children this summer? If you live in the Spokane area, you need to take your children to Sky High Sports for a fun day of jumping off the walls!

I took my kids to Sky High Sports Spokane over Spring Break and we had a blast! From the main court area and the foam pits... back and forth, back and forth... the kids were going non-stop for 1 1/2 hours before they realized they were thirsty, hungry and exhausted!

We all had a BLAST, it was SO much fun! Jumping, flipping, and laughing the entire time we were there.

Both my kiddos (ages 12 and 9) say that their favorite parts were bouncing off the walls and the foam pit! We can't wait to go back! Not only was it a total blast, it was also a great workout!

Sky High Sports also offers AIRobics, Trampoline Dodgeball, Foam Pits, Birthday Parties, Group Events, Corporate Events, Fundraising Opportunities, Trampoline Walls and Floors! Their wall-to-wall trampoline facility has been designed for one purpose: TO HAVE FUN. All ages can come play & improvise for some serious bouncy fun!

Summer vacation begins in a couple weeks, and we will definitely be going to Sky High Sports Spokane as soon as possible!

Win It

One of Being Frugal and Making It Work’s Readers will win a
Sky High Sports Spokane Family Jump Pass

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will end June 13th at Midnight EST.

*Mandatory entry must be completed before other entries will count*

The giveaway is open to US residents only, 18 years old or older. The winner will be chosen at random via Rafflecopter, and the winner will be notified by e-mail. Make sure to leave your e-mail, or have your contact available on your blogger profile. The winner will have 48 hours to respond, and if there is no response another winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: I only recommend products or services I use personally and/or believe will be a good fit for my readers. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own. Results may vary. No compensation was received.

FedEx Delivery Manager - Sign-up to Get Deliveries on Your Schedule!

2013-05-20T18:08:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the commercial for FedEx Delivery Manager? The family is having a beach vacation in their living room - sand and all - because they didn't want to miss a package delivery if they were on a real family vacation away from home.

Change their plans, not yours. Built to make your life easier, FedEx Delivery Manager gives you the power to customize your home deliveries to fit your busy life. You can even get alerts via email and text message! How cool is that?

Sign up for FREE today by clicking on the banner above!

TruMoo Single Serve Shelf-Stable Milk Boxes - Perfect for Children On the Go! (Review & Giveaway)

2013-05-20T17:40:00.001-07:00

As I pack my children's cold lunches each morning, my main goal is to provide them with a good, healthy lunch! It is important for them to have healthy foods to "feed" their tummies and their day of learning! I work in the lunch room at their elementary school and am shocked and horrified by what some of these young children bring to school for lunch.

When I was recently asked if I would like to take the TruMoo lunchbox challenge with my children I'll admit that I was both excited and skeptical. Shelf-stable milk? I'm one of those that won't drink milk if it's been left on the counter for too long, so how could I bring myself to try milk that didn't even need to be put into the fridge to stay fresh?

Did you know that by switching out juice drink boxes for TruMoo milk boxes in school lunches, you can replace ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and artificial preservatives often found in juice drinks with the calcium, protein and vitamin D found in milk, all important for growing kids?

My kids love milk - plain, chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, butterscotch, caramel... TruMoo milk is both delicious and nutritious! It is also rich, smooth and makes the perfect addition to their lunchbox or any meal!

TruMoo single serve milk boxes are available in three delicious flavors kids love – plain, vanilla and chocolate 1% lowfat varieties. Moms can feel good about giving their kids convenient, shelf-stable milk since TruMoo milk is free of artificial colors or flavors, and the milk used in TruMoo milk boxes is produced without the use of artificial growth hormones.

Win It

One of Being Frugal and Making It Work’s Readers will win a
Week's Worth of TruMoo Single Serve Milk Boxes
(3 coupons for a FREE six-pack)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will end June 10th at Midnight EST.

Disclaimer: I received complimentary free product coupons from TruMoo for the purpose of writing a review and hosting a giveaway. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and/or believe will be a good fit for my readers. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own. Results may vary. No monetary compensation was received.

Simple Steps to Help Protect Yourself from Hackers

2013-05-18T13:06:00.000-07:00

As much as I love the internet, I have always been concerned about certain information being stolen by hackers. Several years ago my husband purchased train tickets online for his brother and a few days later we were contacted by our credit card company with concerns of suspicious activity on our account. Sure enough, someone had gotten our credit card information and charged over $6000 worth of items including round-trip tickets to New York.

I know that nothing is full-proof but I do my best to make sure that my online transactions are as secure as possible. I log-out after every online purchase, online banking session, and

Data security is very important and something that everyone should be aware of. There are several rules that I follow in order to help prevent our personal information from being stolen by hacking. A few of the easiest include:

- I turn off my wifi and computer when not in use
- Our wifi is set up through a secure, password protected network
- I monitor my credit card and bank statements every month
- I use strong passwords with a combination of letters and numbers
- I use antivirus software and a personal firewall on all of our computers

Have you ever had your identity or personal information stolen?

Brought to you by your friends at Private WiFi. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Great Blog Giveaways - Stop by and Enter to WIN!

2013-05-17T08:13:00.000-07:00

TGIF! I know that we are all busy, but be sure to take a few minutes and enter some blog giveaways today. I try to enter a few blog giveaways each day simply to increase my chances of winning. It is the perfect way to get some extra goodies for my own family and a way to stock up on frugal gifts for family and friends.

Last week I won a $25 See's Candy gift card! I will be using it to get my Dad some chocolate covered caramels for Father's Day, they are his favorite!

Moms Rule P&G Prize Pack + Gift Card (5/17)

Purex Natural Elements Laundry Detergent - 3 Winners (5/22)

Chick-fil-A Salad Wraps Coupons (5/23)

Case of Simply7 Snacks Healthy Chips (6/5)

Gorton's Seafood Prize Pack (6/7)

Which one of the above giveaways would you most like to win?

Gorton's Seafood: 20 Products with 200 Calories or Less (Review & Giveaway)

2013-05-15T07:27:00.000-07:00

My kids and I absolutely LOVE seafood, but living in Idaho we rarely get to have fresh seafood. Visiting the Oregon Coast every summer helps, but we need more than that to satify our seafood needs. That's why we count on the Gorton's fisherman!

I've been lucky enough to be provided with the opportunity to try a variety of Gorton's seafood at home with my children and we can't get enough. Gorton's Seafood tastes delicious.

As part of our decision to eat healthier, I'm thrilled that Gorton’s offers 20 products with 200 calories or less per serving. We especially love their Shrimp Scampi, Buttery Shrimp and Grilled Tilapia.

With so many different types and kinds of seafood, you can create the perfect meal every night of the week. Every single time! How about sitting down for a delicious and healthy meal that takes less than 30 minutes to prepare? As a busy mom, meals that are healthy, quick and easy are often those that save the day and allow me to spend valuable time with my children.

If my kids had their way, we would have Gorton's Seafood for dinner every night of the week. Unfortunately, Daddy doesn't like seafood so we can't indulge as often as we'd like!

Save $1 off 2 Gorton's Seafood items with their money saving coupon! Shrimp scampi, simply bake or skillet crisp - what will you choose?

Do you trust the Gorton's fisherman?

Win It

One of Being Frugal and Making It Work’s Readers will win a
Gorton's Seafood Prize Pack: 5 free product coupons, a branded spatula, oven mitts, and an apron!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will end June 7th at Midnight EST.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary Gorton's Seafood prize pack for the purpose of writing a review and hosting a giveaway. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and/or believe will be a good fit for my readers. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own. Results may vary. No monetary compensation was received.

My Fitness Test Results Are In: From Bad to Average!

2013-05-14T11:42:00.000-07:00

As part of the #SmoothBlogger program I have been sharing my personal experiences since receiving an amazing treadmill.

Two months ago I completed the fitness test on my Smooth Fitness treadmill for the very first time. I will admit that I was a little disappointed with the results, but it made me want to do better. My goal was to improve just a little bit each time I took the fitness test. Any improvement was going to be considered a success in my eyes.

The fitness test program grades you on your speed of completion, which is determined by how far can you walk, jog or run in 12 minutes. You receive 1 of 5 grades: very bad, bad, average, good or very good.

This morning after completing the fitness test on my top rated treadmill, I received something that I never had before... my result was not "bad" this time but instead it was "average!"

Were my eyes playing tricks on me? I had to take a double-look to make sure that I did indeed see what I thought I did flashing on the screen in front of me.

I am not a runner by any means of the word, but I have gone farther than I never thought possible since receiving my Smooth Fitness treadmill.

Running around the block was impossible and now I can jog for entire mile and a half! A year ago if anyone had told me I'd be able to do that I wouldn't have believed them.

It is amazing what a person can do if they just put their mind to it. I am proof that it can be done. All it takes is one step... taking the first step is always the hardest but can prove to be the most rewarding!

Have you taken the first step?

I was selected to participate in the #SmoothBlogger Program and received a treadmill in exchange for my participation. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and/or believe will be a good fit for my readers.

The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own. Results may vary. No monetary compensation was received.

Today May 14 Is Haagen-Dazs Free Ice Cream Cone Day

2013-05-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

Today is Haagen-Dazs free cone day, so take the kids to your local Haagen-Dazs and have a frugal after school treat. I know that my kids love ice cream no matter what the occasion!

Restrictions: Offer valid 05/14/2013 4-8 pm. Valid only at participating Haagen-Dazs(R) Shop locations. Limit one free cone (4 oz portion) of ice cream, gelato, sorbet or frozen yogurt per customer. Cannot be combined with any other offer.

A sweet thank you to JR from Frugality is Free for sharing the Haagen-Dazs free ice cream day!

Go Healthy - Lentil, Hummus and Pomegranate Chips Review & Giveaway

2013-05-13T20:25:00.000-07:00

My grocery shopping list has changed in conjunction with my journey to a slimmer, healthier lifestyle over the past several months. I recently had the opportunity to sample a variety of Simply7 Snacks healthy chips. My personal favorites were the Creamy Dill and Bruschetta Lentil Chips. Both of them were simply delicious!

These healthy chips were full of flavor! I loved that they were both crispy and "fluffy" as my kids say. We also loved the unique shape of the lentil, hummus and pomegranate chips. My son has braces and isn't allowed to eat most chips, but he could easily eat these ones without having to worry about them messing up his brackets.

I also love that they are a healthy alternative to regular potato chips and contain 40% less fat! No need for dip with these healthy chips!

No Trans Fat
No Artificial Colors or Flavors
No Preservatives
Gluten Free Ingredients
Non-GMO
40% less fat than potato chips
Vegetarian

Be sure to like Simply7 on Facebook where you can get money saving coupons, sign up for their newsletter and find a store near you!

Win It

One of Being Frugal and Making It Work’s Readers will win an
Assorted CASE (12 Bags) of Simply7 Chips

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will end June 5th at Midnight EST.

Disclaimer: I received complimentary Simply7 Snacks for the purpose of writing a review and hosting a giveaway. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and/or believe will be a good fit for my readers. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own. Results may vary. No monetary compensation was received.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Complete a Brief Survey for a Chance to WIN a $25 VISA Gift Card!

2013-05-13T18:18:00.001-07:00

If you have 10 minutes to give feedback on your social media impact, particularly in terms of helping causes online (with the bonus option of entering to win one of 20 VISA gift cards worth $25), please check out this survey from my friends at The Motherhood: http://svy.mk/ZNIL6h

The results from the survey will be presented to major brand executives at a conference later this month. (Your feedback is anonymous.)

There’s an option to submit your email address at the end of the survey – anyone who completes the survey and provides an email address will be entered to win one of 20 VISA gift cards worth $25. (The email address is just a way to notify the gift card winners and won’t be shared.)

If you take the survey and win, come back and let me know!

Chick-fil-A New Salads & Wraps Giveaway - #FreshMade Just for You!

2013-05-13T17:54:00.002-07:00

2013 is almost halfway over and it’s time to do something new! Forget about yesterday, today is #FreshMade! Each day we have a choice, a choice to do the same old routine or do something unique and different. It’s time to grow, it's time to change, it’s time to make your dreams a reality.

Chick-fil-A is helping you make today #FreshMade, by creating new menu options that you can feel good about! They are introducing 3 new premium salads and an improved wrap all under 430 calories made with premium ingredients.

Take your taste buds to greener pastures.

Quiz: Are You A “Starter”? - Some of us wake up with pep in our step, ready to conquer the world. Others might need a little kick in the behind to inject something new into their lives! Find out if you’re already raring to to go or need a little help getting the good time rolling!

#FreshMade Activities - Select your mood and let quotes and images from film express how you’re feeling.

See How We Start Fresh - Behind-the-scenes - Get a behind-the-scenes look at how the new Chick-fil-A salads are #FreshMade just for you!

Get Social! Tweet with the #FreshMade hashtag to get your friends excited about the new Chick-fil-A Salads & Wraps.

Win It

One of Being Frugal and Making It Work’s Readers will win
2 Chick-fil-A Salad Coupons

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will end May 23rd at Midnight EST.

Disclaimer: Chick-fil-A supplied these materials to me for the purpose of hosting a giveaway. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and/or believe will be a good fit for my readers. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own. Results may vary. No monetary compensation was received.

Happy Mother's Day!

2013-05-12T18:53:00.002-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!

Being a mom is the most rewarding job there is!

I hope you all had a wonderful day and that you were all spoiled...

You deserve it!